LEARNING and LAUGHTER

WE HAVE MOVED TO WORDPRESS

2010-05-02T16:59:00.001-07:00

Hello everyone- Thank you for joining me here on google BLOGGER, however, trying to upload video is not fun on this site. So, I have moved to WORDPRESS which is much more user friendly for a person like me. This will be my LAST post on this site.

Please feel free to follow me there and THANK YOU again!

http://louisesattler.wordpress.com/

~Louise

Who will be on Learning and Laughter in April- May 2010- How about Great Women and we have AMERICAN IDOLS, too!!

2010-04-15T14:33:00.000-07:00

Who will be our special guests on Learning and Laughter with Louise? Where can you learn more about our guests?

First- check out the details on http://toginet.com/shows/learningandlaughterwithlouise

Here is the April- May 2010 list! Listen LIVE- Podcast- iTunes! And of course, info will be HERE, too!!

April 21st- We are privileged to have Maimah Karmo talk with us about the topic of breast health. Learn how you can be educated, supported or become an advocate. Maimah Karmo has a wonderful group called the TigerlilyFoundation.org

April 28th- We have immensely popular author, Annie Fox in the house! Annie is the writer of many books for tweens and teens- including my personal fave - MIDDLE SCHOOL CONFIDENTIAL ( I love the WHOLE SERIES- genius!)

May 5th- Alison Rhodes will be chatting summer safety, negotiating special education as a parent, and so much more. Alison is a great person and someone who I am proud to call friend. She always is one who talks from her heart. Join us for this special and very personal hour.

May 12th- My gal-pal- Hilary Bilbrey is joining the show. We are going to talk about a multitude of topics- including Hilary's brainchild businesses. I just love her dedication to helping others learn about keeping children safe.

May 19th- AMERICAN IDOLS. That's right we will have AMERICAN IDOLS from previous seasons on our shows ALL WEEK! (Not only here on Learning and Laughter!) My guests (confirmed) are John Stevens, Scott MacIntyre and Becky O'Donohue.

May 26th- WOW- you'll love Wendy Young and her Kidlutions. Call in with questions or send them to me in advance to ask Wendy those "hard to parent" questions.

We will post June in a couple of weeks!
Also, don't forget to become a fan of WE WANT MY DEAF FAMILY on TELVISION! Check out the pilot on YouTube, too!!

By Hilary Bilbrey-

Brecker Bunny Learns to be Careful!Brecker Bunny Learns to be Careful!Little Jake Learns to Stop
A Heartwarming Tale About Determination and Succeeding with Attention Difficulties

Are YOU on a "Trip To Holland"?

2010-04-11T11:41:00.000-07:00

This is a post that has appeared on numerous special education, parenting and family blogs. I am often cited for it or receive requests to repost.

Enjoy and if you want to share your experiences with being on a Trip To Holland, by all means leave them here.

Also, this article is dedicated to our son, Seth- who taught us long ago that Holland is simply beautiful!

Are you on a "Trip to Holland?"

Submitted by Louise Sattler

The poem written by Emily Perl Kingsley was cut out and pasted on refrigerator from February of 1992 until we moved to a new home in 1995. It was titled, “ Welcome to Holland”. In essence, it was a snapshot of what it is like to being unprepared when you give birth to a child who has challenges, such as medical or cognitive disabilities.

Louise Sattler: author and speaker.

There is one section of the poem that I read over and over again, “After months of eager anticipation, the day finally arrives. You pack your bags and off you go. Several hours later, the plane lands. The stewardess comes in and says, "Welcome to Holland." "Holland?!?" you say. "What do you mean Holland?? I signed up for Italy! I'm supposed to be in Italy. All my life I've dreamed of going to Italy." But there's been a change in the flight plan. They've landed in Holland and there you must stay.”

My husband and I wanted to go to Italy and ended up in Holland on February 7, 1992. I should have known that our trip to second time parenthood would be bumpy as we were told that our second born was to be a girl. “Two girls, so nice”, my OB-GYN told me. Guess what, we had the first boy born in 28 years in my family when he arrived via emergency c-section. Not breathing right. Sugar too low, heartbeat too high. I could already feel the “plane veer” off course.

Days later we were allowed to go home only to notice that our little “fella” was turning the color of a Sunkist orange. Not good. Not good at all. Rushed back to the hospital to be told it was simple “jaundice”. Nope, nothing in the child’s life would be simple, I found out. Days go on and before the first actual tulip bloomed that year we were in intensive care with our young guy. Jaundice ended up to be a “liver problem” - not yet determined, but possibly very serious and could lead to severe retardation. Respiratory syncytial virus/ RSV nearly claimed his life. Reflux choked him every third breath. Our nightmare continued. You know you have a very sick baby when you can’t find room in the isolated PICU suite because of the number of doctors, nurses and respiratory therapists working with your child to keep him alive. You also know your baby is very ill when the nurses come and ask you questions such as, ‘Is there anyone we can call for you?” Does God have a hotline, I wonder?

For any new parent who has a baby you know this is the worst part of the scenario- waiting. You wait to see if the tests are positive for illnesses that are unimaginable. You wait to see if the insurance will cover the rare and complicated blood work, machines that are helping your child stay alive or special therapy sessions ordered. You wait to see if you will ever have a “normal” life again for yourself, your family, your work, etc. Will your child walk, talk, eat normally, have friends, etc.? You begin truly begin to hate Holland.

Then little by little the wait can end. Test results come back. Therapies begin. Hospitalizations end and you go home. But, for many of us, this is when you start a new journey in to the realm of Special Education. Here is the most ironic part of this story and the reason I am writing it for this blog. I am a special educator. I am a full fledge, certified School Psychologist that is trained with helping parents and children with special needs. All my training flies out the window as my mind is trying to process the months of evaluations, reports and recommendations from specialists. Ironic indeed. I have now changed teams! Instead of being the intervention specialist I now am the one calling our local school district asking for help from the Early Intervention Team! And I am so grateful when they appear at my door. But, I still have problems with paperwork and understanding all the information. How can this be? I do this job everyday and I am still wading through it because my head is so full of grief and confusion. The team helps me. Everyday gets a little better. Clarity arrives with every meeting or visit from a team member. Family members come on board to help. We get it through it.

Now fast- forward, our son improves with therapy as he starts to talk, walk (actually run) and become quite sociable. He has more hospital visits but he is deemed fairly healthy. His liver has a benign disorder and we are told that he shouldn’t go without food or enter in to the military. We can live with those two stipulations to have a benign liver disorder vs. the alternatives.

I also become a much better psychologist. Often I go to our refrigerator and I read Welcome to Holland. As I do I imagine my own fears, but also the see the faces and hear the sad, confused and sometimes hopeful voices of countless parents and children I have worked with in the past. I am a better person because I stopped in Holland than Italy.

As for the little “fella”, he is applying to colleges now. He has had his challenges, but nothing we couldn’t handle without the help of school and healthcare professionals.

And guess where he suggested we go on summer vacation this year? Holland. Well, I’ll be!

ABOUT the Author:

Louise is a Nationally Certified School Psychologist (NCSP), owner of Signing Families™, writer for the JustAsk forum onEducation.com and host of her own radio show, Learning and Laughter with Louise.

Louise resides in Central Maryland with her amazing family - hubby, Marc and two adult kids- Seth and Natasha!

Join the Campaign to Bring- MY DEAF FAMILY- to television

2010-04-06T12:05:00.000-07:00

It would be great to have a deaf family and American Sign Language portrayed on television for ALL to view and enjoy!

Marlee Matlin once again is bringing the need for deaf entertainment and equal access in the spotlight. She has championed for closed captioning to be on all TV sets sold in the United States and now she wants to highlight how YouTube can have immediate closed captioning services available.

Here is more info and the sites for you to peruse. Would love your comments!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-Gc85nQK8w Here is the pilot of MY DEAF FAMILY

Here is a great story explaining why this seminole program could be so important to all: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9A_NK-Bxvw

Knowledge Safari and KidQuest-TV- two great websites!

2010-04-04T17:59:00.000-07:00

Learning and Laughter with Louise- Wednesday, April 7th show- On Toginet.com- part of the HerInsight Network!

I love innovation! Which is why I picked for this weeks show two great companies and their websites to spotlight- Knowledge Safari and KidQuest- TV!

Knowledge Safari is a great website for people who who live or work with individuals with special needs. In addition, you can read or add reviews of products, restaurants, businesses and so much more. Marci Hersh will be joining us for the first half of our show. She would love to connect with you, learn more about Knowledge Safari and help YOU to network with others! Call in your questions and comments on Wednesday, April 7th at 9am EST - 1-877-864-4869

KidQuest-TV.com is my second highlighted website. What are cool kids doing? Riding hot air balloons? Raising hawks or falcons? Well, Robert Marshall captures great kids doing amazing things! He should know a good story when he sees it as this group owns two Emmy Awards and have been Parent's Choice Gold Award!

Check out this Amazing KidQuest kid!

presented on Youtube.com

Tweet our guests, too: @KnowledgeSafari and @KidQuestTV

Welcome to the Virtual Job Fair!

2010-03-31T14:11:00.000-07:00

Welcome to a Virtual Job Fair sponsored by

Learning and Laughter with Louise

on the HerInsight radio network of Toginet.radio

Today on Learning and Laughter with Louise we had three sensational companies chat with us. ALL THREE HAVE EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES. So, if you are looking for a job or to re-enter the workforce and need assistance this blog should be a "must-read". Good luck and PLEASE let us know if you obtained a job through our virtual job fair. We would love to hear about success stories!!

Our first guest on the radio show as Debbie Lesser. She represented Keith Wann's company- CallVRS.org

This company has many facets which are clearly explained on their website- www.CallVRS.org

Debbie indicated that American Sign Language CERTIFIED interpreters are needed nationwide. She also explained that CallVRS.org provides video interpreting and also remote video conferencing, such as with when a physicians/ lawyers office in a rural area needs to communicate with a deaf individual.

What is great about this company is that stories online are also available for children and adults to enjoy. This multifaceted and national company is desperately looking for interpreters. Spanish or other languages in addition to ASL is also desired.

Contact Debbie Lesser at Debbie@CallVRS.info

The website is www.CallVRS.org

Our second guest was the incredible Candi Wingate. She has several companies LOOKING TO HIRE! Now we are talking Part time, Full time, you make the hours!! Men, women, single, married, ALL 50 STATES AND CANADA!! No reason to be unemployed with this group! This is an incredible opportunity for people who are in college or need to augment their income. Full time work for those who need it. SUPER!!

Candi owns: NANNIES4HIRE.com and CARE4HIRE.com

Both of these companies are reputable, have stringent applications for those who are searching for help and those they help to employ. So, if you are looking to be a nanny or to hire one, Nanny4Hire.com is a MUST to research.

In addition, Care4Hire.com website cites the following information: Our database is designed to assist families in finding a quality babysitter, housekeeper, tutor, companion/eldercare, pet sitter and Miscellaneous care such as a personal assistant, gardener, party planner, etc. for their specific needs and requirements and offer caregivers an enjoyable employment experience.

Contact them TODAY- you can have a job by the end of NEXT WEEK!! Keep in mind that this company will have security measures in place. Also, they have been receiving kudos from tons of people (see website). Even Kate Gosselin (John and Kate +8) used their services. So, hurry and check them out!!

Our third, but certainly no the least in any way- was Sandra Beck from the fantastic company MotherhoodIncorporated.com I LOVE THIS COMPANY. Why? Because people can work from home within the tech, corporate or creative companies and still be at home with their children (By the way, you can hire a nanny from Nannies4hire.com to help make your home work life run even more smoothly - hint, hint)

Back to MotherhoodIncorporated.com

Their website is super and was created by people they employed through this company- how great is that! Here is what they want you to know if you are looking for a job:

Many mothers leave the traditional workforce to raise their children. Contrary to popular belief, their skills do not evaporate the day they do. The work at home mother is the largest untapped resource for skilled work in the United States today.

Every day we are contacted by educated, skilled mothers who want to write, create, design and facilitate - only not in a traditional office. They are smart, they are business savvy and they are successful in what they do. They are "our moms."

And every day we are contacted by companies, small businesses and sole business operators looking for alternatives to traditional hiring. A way to get work done without additional office space, equipment and software needs, taxes and costly benefits. These are "our clients."

Motherhood Incorporated brings Moms and Clients together to get the job done effectively and efficiently using phone, fax and Internet.

We at Motherhood Incorporated believe that Outsourcing should be Home Sourcing and that Pink is the new Green. Using a Home Based worker reduces fossil fuel emissions and allows ours mother's more time with their family.

We save our families and our planet at the same time. What could be better than that?

info@motherhoodincorporated.com
or call directly at 310-424-5324

****************************************************************

To recap- ALL of the above companies are hiring! They want to connect with
people from all over the United States and Canada. Now this is what you need to
know:

1- An email, phone call or checking out these companies cannot cost you a thing
other than your time and effort. If you truly want a job and don't have a felony
record- then you have a good chance of having a job- very soon

2- These companies were selected because they value their employees and
clients. These are not menial jobs. These are careers. You can be helping children,
elder care, work outdoors, be a virtual assistant, design graphics, design websites,
and much more. The only company that required certification is CallVRS.org

3. The pay from these companies varies according to the tasks. That is up to
you to discuss with potential employers. However, I guarantee that you will EARN
no money from your skills if you stay at home and do nothing. EARN is the key
word in this sentence.

4. You need not finish high school nor college for consideration for some of these
jobs. Yes that is right. There is something for almost everyone. Also, people who
are deaf, blind or do not use English as their first language are encouraged to check
out our information, too!

5. Please let me know if you successfully obtained employment. There are no
guarantees, however here is great info for you that may lead to you being a virtual
career fair success story!

GOOD LUCK!!

Louise

You are never too old to......(fill in the blank!)

2010-03-17T13:57:00.000-07:00

   Let's start with the facts.... I teach sign language. DUH! But, what you may not know is that the average age of a student in my classes or workshops is not the typical college aged student. Nor is this student between birth to 18 years old. Nope the median age of my students is up around the 30 year old mark. HUH!?! How did that happen? Well, quite simply I have noticed a trend where many of my sign language students are parents, business owners, healthcare professionals, first responders or senior citizens. I have one class now, in which one of my students is retired from NASA and helped to create the Hubbell Telescope. (Trust me I stopped using the phrase- "This is easy, its' not ROCKET SCIENCE" during this class!)

   Since today is my birthday I wanted to reiterate to those of us who are a bit "mature" that is is NEVER too late to learn ANY SKILL! Go ahead and learn to make the quilt you always wanted, dance the Zumba, learn conversational Italian and then go take that dream trip to Italy! And if you are so inclined, learn the fourth most common language used in the United States- Sign Language.

   I would love to know... what is on your "must learn" list? Well, let us all know here and maybe you will help to inspire someone else.

   Have a great day!

Coming soon- Lebanon PA

2010-03-07T12:22:00.001-08:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lRtKFkW4LFgHere is the Youtube Trailer for the movie, Lebanon Pa. Enjoy and let's hope the cast and crew enjoy a win at the SXSW film festival next week!

Who has been on Learning and Laughter with Louise to date?

2010-03-06T20:30:00.000-08:00

   It has been my pleasure to have hosted Learning and Laughter with Louise since the first Wednesday in December 2009. It seems that I only know my show as exisitng in "cold weather". Thankfully, we will be rolling in to Spring very, very soon.

   And with every spring comes changes! The biggest change for Learning and Laughter with Louise (and my sister hosted shows) is that we will be moving from the Toginet Radio umbrella to all become HerInsight Media.

   Now don't panic! It will be the same show- just a new company website with a new look! See my banner below:

So let us recap- who have been the wonderful guests on Learning and Laughter to date: Well, here is the list (and I really, really, really am sorry if I missed any names) I have added Amazon links if you wish to check out any of the fine products, etc. associated.

Dec. 2nd we had Ann Calamia and Catherine Miller of Universal Signs

Dec. 9th - Sue Scheff talking about her book Google Bomb and much more!

Google Bomb: The Untold Story of the $11.3M Verdict That Changed the Way We Use the Internet

Dec. 16th- Was a list of my favorite educational products for our holiday show. Natasha picked out her favorites too. We spotlighted two particular companies- Kubit2Me and Tripflix!

Kubit2me - Now You're Talking TripFLIX

Dec. 23rd - Mary Gardner- Ruch joined us to discuss how she reinvented her life after for the better. She also shared an awesome soup recipe for the holidays!

Dec. 30th- Shara Lawrence - Weiss, Owner of Mommyperks.com AND PersonalChildStories.com

I Can Count to Ten in Asl, English and Spanish! (¡puedo Contar Hasta Diez En Asl, InglÉs Y EspaÑol!) (English and Spanish Edition)

We were back in the New Year with great guests too!

January 6th was Kat Eden from Education.com

January 13th was the HYSTERICAL Keith Wann from the ASL Comedy Tour, VRS and the list goes on, and on and on!!

January 20th was reserved for an amazing guest - Jeni Stepanek. She wins the prize as the guest with the most phone calls so far. Her book, MESSENGER about her life with her son, Mattie Stepanek, remains one of my favorites on my book shelf.

Messenger: The Legacy of Mattie J.T. Stepanek and Heartsongs

January 27th was filmmaker Ben Hickernell. I let Natasha do most of this interview being that she is a film student and in his new movie- Lebanon PA

February rolled around with TONS of snow- so we were happy that our guests were not snowbound and could call in to the show!

February3 was Denise Graab and a great conversation about Multicultural and Multilingual homes. I love this topic and Denise on the show.

February 10th was two guests - Julie Coe and Sondra Brassel who wrote and illustrated the FRIENDSHIP PUZZLE a book about acceptance and inclusion of children with Autism.

The Friendship Puzzle: Helping Kids Learn About Accepting and Including Kids with Autism

February 17th- We celebrated the Winter Olympics and more with my cousin , Lisa Densmore. Her work on the new movie- TEEN ROMANCE- WHAT'S RISKY, WHAT'S NOT is extraordinary!

Ski Faster: Lisa Feinberg Densmore's Guide to High Performance Skiing and Racing Hiking the Green Mountains: A Guide to 35 of the Region's Best Hiking Adventures (Falcon Guide Where to Hike)

February 24th we invited two AMAZING KIDS to join Learning and Laughter. We had Jaylen from Jaylen's Challenge (help stop bullying and educate about Tourette Syndrome) AND Lane Sutton the Kid Critic USA. Jaylen even brought guests, too! His mom, Robin and Dash Mihok also joined us.

and that leads me to last weeks show the first in March....

March 3rd was great parenting advice (and again lots of callers) from Brenda Nixon.

The Birth to Five Book: Confident Childrearing Right from the Start

I want to add that all of my guests graciously contributed their time and for many products to be distributed to families and educators. Thank you all!

Now who is coming up in the weeks ahead on Learning and Laughter with Louise?

Glad you asked!

March 10th- Traci Bisson from the MomEntrepreneur group.
March 17th- Jan Morrison and Ilana Schwartz chat about commuter grandparenting. Also, Judy Templeton will talk about healthy family programs.
March 24th- Mary Kay Hoal from Yourshpehere.com
March 30th- TBA (Which really means not yet confirmed so I can't announce it..)
April 7th- Two great kid websites: KidsQuest.com and KnoweldgeSafari.com
April 14th- Bryna Paston and her humorous books about grandchildren
April 21st- Maimah Karmo andthe Tigerlily Foundation for Breast Cancer Awareness
April 28th- Annie Fox and her sensational Middle School Confidential Series of books for Tweens and teens
May 5th- Let's go explore Washington D.C.
May 12th- Lisa France, producer and her movie Anne B. Real
May 19th- HOLD ON TO YOUR HATS- WE HAVE AMERICAN IDOLS ON MANY OF OUR HERINSIGHT SHOWS THIS WEEK
May 26th- Have a problem with your children, well Wendy Warner Young will have KIDLUTIONS!

"Educating the Educator"- wisdom from a young Jaylen Arnold and his friend, Dash Mihok

2010-02-23T19:56:00.000-08:00

I first heard about Jaylen Arnold from Twitter and our mutual pal, Sue Scheff. I quickly learned that this young dynamo is an amazing kid who is trying very hard to teach others to not bully kids with differences, such as his own Tourette Syndrome. Here is the wonderful PSA he made with pal, Dash Mihok. (FYI- if Dash looks familiar it is because he has graced your television and movie screens countless times, including on the current series, THE GOOD WIFE)

Enjoy And check out JaylensChallenge.org

PSA from Jaylens Challenge

Happy Valentine's Day in Sign Language!

2010-02-14T12:15:00.001-08:00

How do you sign Happy Valentine's Day! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJUgq8Tsuwk&feature=email

Snow photos for fun!

2010-02-11T10:42:00.000-08:00

Here are some photos that chronicle the BlizzardS of 2010!! Enjoy and feel free to share your blog url with us so we can see your Snowpalooza photos!

Deaf Dog Dancing!

2010-02-08T16:53:00.000-08:00

Most of you know that I straddle the hearing and the deaf worlds due to my affinity to American Sign Language and individuals who use it as their language (or just dabble like so many!) What you may not know is that our house is a bilingual home, including our dogs. YEP! Tess and Bingo were both trained as puppies in ASL. They were both rescue pups and it made no sense to teach basic dog commands that used hand signals to them while the people in the home used ASL from time to time. (Even I thought the dogs would be confused, let alone me!). So, we taught the dogs their commands using ASL which has made it fun for us and the many children who have tried out their "sign skills" on Bingo and Tess.

Well, as fate would have it our "younger" pup- Tess (White German Shepherd mix) became deaf around her third birthday after surgery. We don't blame anyone and quite honestly she may have had minimal hearing all along (not uncommon for white dogs with light eyes to have a higher percentage of deafness among the dog world). However, it didn't matter. Tess knew all her commands in ASL and followed her hearing brother, Bingo, around everywhere- then and now.

So why did I title this blog, "Deaf Dog Dancing?"- Well there is something quite magical seeing a dog who usually needs to be leashed or on a long zipline leash for her own safety being free of any restraints. She was allowed this freedom due to natures own "fencing"- 3+ feet of snow. She frolicked all over the yard, never leaving our sight and coming back to us with her tag wagging so fast I thought she would propel like a helicopter! She was truly free in the silence we all experienced during the blizzard and shortly after. She was a deaf dog dancing!!

Once again- some stories are best told in photos. Enjoy!

Children love to see if Bingo really knows sign language-
Lexy signing STAY to Bingo.

Tess, frolicking in the backyard sans leash. I think I see her smiling!!

Tess sitting patiently as her "daddy" signs EAT. First the sign then.....

and then a yummy treat!

To learn more about deaf dogs and if you wish to adopt a deaf dog try these websites:

http://www.deafdogs.com/
http://www.deafk9.com/
http://www.deafdogs.org/adoption/
http://www.deafdogs.org/

THANK YOU ALL!

2010-02-05T06:41:00.000-08:00

The feedback from our Sign Language for Emergency Situations Chart has been overwhelming!! I have 25 more charts to give TODAY for new subscribers to this blog.

So, go ahead, subscribe, email me your address at info@SigningFamilies.com and I will pop a chart in the mail. No sales pitch.. no selling of your address... just a chart to help others in sign and Spanish in the event of an emergency situation.

Here is what two recipients of the chart "tweeted" this past week (and a big thank you for doing so!!)

"@joannab: @LouiseASL I got the #ASL Charts for Emergencies in the mail today - Thanks again so much! So helpful!" www.signingfamilies.com"

KarenNemethEdM

@PreKlanguages www.signingfamilies.comhas small and large ASL/Span charts- and they have a DVD coming out too. Great resource @louiseasl

KarenNemethEdM

@Louiseasl Wow! I just received my Emergency ASL/Spanish word charts. Every #teacher should have one! THX! www.signingfamilies.com #ell #dll

Acceptance & Inclusion- What a GREAT STORY!

2010-02-02T07:29:00.000-08:00

Here is my review of The Friendship Puzzle. Find this and much more about autism related disorders at Our Journey Thru Autism (OJTA)- http://www.OurJourneyThruAutism.com

Happy reading! (p.s. This book GIVES BACK a portion of their proceeds to the Kennedy-Kreiger Institute for research and support of autism with children)

Here is Part 3 of the Learning and Laughter Interview with Comedian Keith Wann!

2010-02-02T05:31:00.000-08:00

To check out the video of Keith Wann you can watch here: http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=308098854273 or go to YouTube and look under CODAWANN

See and hear interpreter, business owner, CODA and comedian Keith Wann!! It will make you laugh and learn!!

Lots of new friends- thank you!!

2010-02-01T12:54:00.000-08:00

I have mailed most of my bloggers their FREE mini sign language chart for emergency situations. No sales pitch. No selling of your address.

If you have not emailed to me your address and wish to receive a chart, please email me at INFO@SigningFamilies.com

I will send you a minichart if your address is within the USA or Canada. NO CHARGE.

Thanks for following my blog.

Note that the guest for this WEDNESDAY at 9 a.m. EST on Learning and Laughter is Denise Graab (Education.com)

Our topic- living in a bicultural/bilingual home. Tell us your story if you live in a home that speaks or uses a language other than English. (Yep, ASL counts in my book!!)

Here is the link to learn more about the radio program, Video Blog (VLOG) and more-

http://toginet.com/shows/learningandlaughterwithlouise

Thanks again for the follow here on my blog.

Also, do you have an educational topic you may want to see us cover on Learning and Laughter? let me know and we will try and include it in future broadcasts. Right now I am seeking people in the music industry... if you are one of those people, including an aspiring musician... contact me here.

Join this blog, get one of the mini-charts for FREE

2010-01-31T09:49:00.000-08:00

THIS CHART WILL BE MAILED TO YOU FREE!! That's right- Signing Families is giving away to the first 50 people who sign up for this blog, starting TODAY the chart in this post-- FREE.!! Must be a U.S. or Canadian citizen (or your address within these countries)

WHY??? Because I wish for people to be able to communicate TODAY using American Sign Language, Spanish and English to help others during an EMERGENCY or MEDICAL SITUATION!

The front is as shown...
The back has the photos and words for WHO?, WHERE? and WHAT TIME?

Also, the back has two alphabets (English and Spanish), numbers 1-10 and common symbols used for emails, etc.

Offer ends when we hit 50 followers on this blog.....

I will ask that you follow me and send me privately your address here, or on Twitter (LouiseASL) or on my Signing Families site on FACEBOOK in order to Direct Message your address. DO NOT LEAVE YOUR ADDRESS where others can view it. If you leave a message under the announcement on Facebook I will message you directly.

I WILL NOT SELL YOUR ADDRESS... once I have it on an envelope I will press DELETE from my computer.

Honest!

THANK YOU!!

New Month, New Guests, New products!

2010-01-30T12:01:00.000-08:00

I cannot believe that the calendar page will turn over so soon and it will be FEBRUARY! Where has the time gone? I know that your time is precious, so here is the list of guests to be on Learning and Laughter this month!!

ALL SHOWS AIR ON WEDNESDAY MORNING FROM 9-10 a.m. Eastern Standard Time

Feb. 3rd- Denise Graab from Education.com The topic is multiculturalism. Raising a family in a bilingual/bicultural home. And yes, that includes a home that communicates with American Sign Language. (Of course that would figure since I do know a little something about Signing and Families)

February 10th- Friendship Puzzle with Sondra Brassel and Julie Coe. It is my privilege to have the author and illustrator of this amazing book on our show. Their story based on a friend's experience discusses acceptance and inclusion of a child with Autism. You will love this book. I have posted their link to Amazon. The foreword is by Dr. Rebecca Landa. Suggestions and activities for parents and educators are included.

February 17th- Lisa Densmore. Professional athlete and director to a new PBS special about teen and sex. What a powerhouse of a woman we will have on this show.

February 24th is dedicated to GREAT KIDS. We will be having on the show some amazing kids who are truly giving of themselves, their time and in some cases, their own money. This show will demonstrate to the listeners what is RIGHT with our youth!

Now here is the news on all of the SIGNING FAMILIES/ Louise Masin Sattler's workshops and products:

OUR AVAILABLE DATES for WINTER 2010 are nearly sold out for workshops and guest speaking engagements.

We are NOW booking what few dates are available during the Spring. SUMMER and FALL also have some dates open. (We always encourage schools to book ASAP)

Our DVD- SIGN LANGUAGE FOR EMERGENCY SITUATIONS will be available on a variety of online and box stores by early April (and perhaps before).

Over 100 signs in English and then again voiced in Spanish. With ASL used throughout the movie. Open captioned to learn the words in print, as well. Perfect for FIRST RESPONDERS/RESCUERS/ HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS / EDUCATORS, etc.

Included is a Sign Expressions Mini-Language Chart in ENGLISH, SPANISH and ASL that has the most important of signs and words to use during an emergency. (Shout-out to Rick Weiss at Design Media Pros!) See below for our sample chart. It is easy to hold and can be purchased separately. They will be $2.49 each or 10 for $20. Orders larger than 20 is reduced. Ask for more information. (Shipping is free in the 50 states and Canada!) If you wish to purchase the charts separately please email me at info@SigningFamilies.com We will have this up on the SigningFamilies.com website, too.

Here is the cover label to the DVD:

Keith Wann Video Blog (VLOG) for Learning and Laughter!

2010-01-20T09:56:00.000-08:00

I had a hoot when Keith Wann was my guest during the January 13th Learning and Laughter with Louise show! I believe that my shows should have equal access - meaning that hearing and deaf should be able to enjoy the guests and content on my show. So each week I write notes (here and on my FACEBOOK SIGNING FAMILIES fan page). I also try to VLOG, but frankly I am still a "work in progress" in this area. So, this past week and for the next few weeks I will have a little help from my friend, Keith Wann. Enjoy his first VLOG entry for Learning and Laughter!

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=286929889273&ref=mf

p.s. The photo of me in the VLOG is from Cavalheri Photography.

Jeni Stepanek will be on Learning and Laughter- Wednesday, January 20th

2010-01-18T08:58:00.000-08:00

There are some people that you "meet" in life who make you feel that you need to BELIEVE in hope. That people truly have resilience and the ability to do more good than harm. I learned that lesson over the years by listening to a young boy, Mattie Stepanek, as he seemed to exude such wisdom, well beyond his years. And quite frankly much more than most people would ever attain in a lifetime. His poetry, books and now legacy live on with his mom, Jeni Stepanek. Her book, MESSENGER, should be on the MUST READ list for all high school students. Right next to GIFTED HANDS by Ben Carson.

I think it is so ironic ( or is it?) that Jeni will talk about Mattie's quest to help spread the words of peace, hope, harmony, and more on the week that we celebrate the same sentiments from Martin Luther King, Jr.

Enjoy the photos and join me with welcoming Jeni Stepanek on the air this Wednesday, Jan. 20th at 9 a.m. EST. If you have questions for me to ask her please leave here as a comment. To listen to our interview tune in here: http://toginet.com/shows/learningandlaughterwithlouise

THANK YOU!! Please visit: http://www.MattieOnline.com

To learn more about Neuromuscular Diseases- go to : http://www.MDA.org

Looking for "Groupies"

2010-01-16T10:24:00.000-08:00

GREAT THINGS are HAPPENING at SIGNING FAMILIES! We will be uploading our newly revamped, restyled and overall groovy website. Included will be our newest products, media, and links to Learning and Laughter with Louise!

We will be randomly choosing new blog followers to receive a free DVD from the Signing Families store. Remember- this is a $20 value and we ship free within the United States and Canada.

Our goal is to hit 50 followers before the new DVD launches in just a few short weeks!!

Also, FIRST RESPONDERS who wish to preview our new DVD may look online, as well as have an opportunity to receive a FREE SIGN LANGUAGE FOR EMERGENCY SITUATIONS DVD with MINI- CHART!!!

How? Simply go to this url and watch the DVD trailer. If you like what you see and want to learn ASL and Spanish to use in your organization leave us a comment here! We will pick out our First Responders and send free DVDs (first ten get them!) Up to 50 will receive a free chart!

Here is the LINK FOR THE YouTube Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zX3YObehuU

THANK YOU!!!!!

"What's Up with My Family?"- Another great book by Annie Fox

2010-01-14T11:36:00.000-08:00

   It was my pleasure to have recently been asked by Annie Fox to review her newest installment to her Middle School Confidential series- What's Up with My Family?

   I LOVE IT! And I am so pleased that Annie will be an upcoming guest on my radio show, Learning and Laughter with Louise!- April 28th

   Here is my review- ENJOY!

******************************************************************************

Review of “Middle School Confidential-
What’s Up with My Family”

By Louise Masin Sattler, NCSP

Nationally Certified School Psychologist

Host of Learning and Laughter with Louise!

Once again, Annie Fox and her Middle School Confidential series created a book that connects so well with the contemporary pulse of tweens and teens on the complicated subject of family relationships- What’s Up with My Family

What’s Up with My Family is presented in Ms. Fox’s trademark style of meshing both a fictional story line within comic book illustrations, by Matt Kindt. Then she cleverly intertwines her ongoing story with pearls of wisdom as presented by input from students. This interactive and engaging layout lets the reader learn and feel entertained at the same time. At no time does the content of the book fall in to the realm of being insensitive or patronizing to the reader.

As a School Psychologist, I appreciated that What’s Up with My Family was able to engage the reader by presenting “tough talks” on topics ranging from sibling rivalry, divorce, loss, blended families, trust issues between parent and child and so much more. Ms. Fox focuses the reader on the value of a family, no matter how it is constructed. Moreover, the guided questions, quick quizzes and “did you know” features were very much on target in getting difficult messages across and jump starting conversations within a family.

I loved What’s Up with My Family and hope that families and schools will find this book in to the hands of tweens and teens worldwide. Bravo to Annie Fox for her wonderful writing and Matt Kindt for his amazing and intuitive illustrations! I look forward to the next installment of Middle School Confidential!

Why I created - "SIGN LANGUAGE FOR EMERGENCY SITUATIONS"

2010-01-11T11:37:00.000-08:00

On September 11, 2001 a lot of our lives changed- forever. I know that it is a day that my immediate family will never forget as we are native New Yorkers and many of us still live and work in metropolitan New York. Alongside the hearing population on 9/11 were thousands of deaf and hard of hearing people, too. It is because of them that I created SIGN LANGUAGE FOR EMERGENCY SITUATIONS.

I first became aware of how the deaf had difficulty accessing information and not understanding the gravity of the situation through a documentary I had viewed. 9/11 Fear in Silence- The Forgotten Underdogs. I also had read articles and found out from my deaf friends about the difficulties they experienced on 9/11.

It took me some time to wrap my head around the concept that deaf people could not have the same emergency information as hearing people. How could that be? So, I started putting away information I found and lists of vocabulary words I thought first responders, healthcare professionals, the RED CROSS and others might need to know during an emergency to help the deaf community.

But, "life" got in the way. My business seemed to steer itself towards another path. Now I am not saying that I forgot about what I wanted to create, but I certainly was overwhelmed and did not have the financial resources or time.

In 2009, I once again revisited the idea of making a DVD to help people during an emergency. I teamed with Shara Lawrence-Weiss of PersonalChildStories.com to create a language chart titled, "SIGN EXPRESSIONS for I WANT, I NEED". We had a great response to this chart and I was delighted that we were able to create a product to help children with learning challenges as well as augment my sign language DVDs. I pitched the idea of SIGN LANGUAGE FOR EMERGENCY SITUATIONS as a DVD with a companion chart. She immediately was enthusiastic and away we went. Shara enlisted her husband, Rick Weiss from Design Media Pros to help create the chart from photography that I had snapped. We also were delighted to have friend and translator, Karina Prizont Cowan help us with the Spanish. Yes, I said Spanish. Because nearly nine years after 9/11 I realized that the deaf and the Hispanic communities could both be served by one set of products. So, here we are in the Winter of 2010 with a finished product. SIGN LANGUAGE FOR EMERGENCY SITUATIONS DVD with companion SIGN EXPRESSIONS MINI-CHART (as a DVD insert) will be available by March 2010.

What I need now is people who want to learn to sign and speak basic Spanish in an emergency. I would love to hear from people who are First Responders, Hospital and other health care professionals. School personnel should also learn how to safely evacuate or keep safe their students. (Think how many deaf children are now mainstreamed in public schools!) Camp counselors also could benefit from learning the basics of sign language. And of course, if individuals from the Red Cross person could learnthe basics I would be so happy.

So, please I invite people who wish to learn common words and phrases to use during emergency or medical situations to view the YouTube trailer and contact me. I will look for comments here or email me at Louise@SigningFamilies.com

Thank you for reading. Have a happy and SAFE New Year!

Louise

If you wish to see the rough cut preview here it is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zX3YObehuU

I am a "multi-blogger"

2010-01-08T06:27:00.000-08:00

I am not sure that the term "multi-blogger" is correct to reflect that I write for more than one organization's blog? However, if you wish to check out my other blogs here is where to find me:

I will begin in February writing for a terrific group- OUR JOURNEY THRU AUTISM (OJTA) This group is powered by great people, especially Tiffani Lawton who was inspired to begin her own journey through autism when her son, Eamon was diagnosed. Here is the link to read this blog: http://www.ourjourneythruautism.com/2010/01/meet-expert-communication-psychology.html

Next you can find my monthly column under the community section of MYCHILDCAREGUIDE.com

I also write occasional blogs for MommyPerks.com.

And lastly, you will find me here to cover all the news SIGNING FAMILIES and LEARNING AND LAUGHTER with LOUISE!